A Soft Place To Land
by Wispy Willow
Summary: Have Andy and Sam finally found each other and a soft place to land? This is simple attempt at what events might have looked like post Episode 6 of Season 5. As with their story so far, it takes turns that are introspective and serious at times, and whimsical and playful at others. It picks up in the midst of the conversation between Sam and Andy as they leave Milburn Penitentiary.
1. Chapter 1

I DO NOT OWN ROOKIE BLUE

Sam was silent for a good long while after they pulled out of Milburn Penitentiary, and into the dark, cloudless night.

Andy was quiet too. Sam knew she was desperately trying to make sense of everything she had uncovered and learned about him and his past today. Who could blame her for that?

Yet, he also understood that her uncharacteristic lack of chatter was also reflective of her genuinely compassionate nature. She was being innately empathetic to how difficult the day's events must have been for him.

God, how that very compassion had always probed so evocatively and effectively through his walls and around all of his rough, unfinished edges!

McNally, McNally. Her brain was rich, challenging and receptive. She was bold, sexy and bewitching. Yet, she could never quite conceal her compassion, at least not from him. He was always madly attracted to this contradictory strength and vulnerability within her.

He breathed deeply, inhaling the faintest sweet hint of Andy's vanilla cocoa butter hand cream. He remembered that beguiling scent so well.

It was deliciously embedded deeply in his consciousness. It was strewn all over their time together. It awakened the most intimate of memories from times spent on his sofa or hers, losing themselves in each other's embrace, and whatever prime time had to offer.

Or those magical moments shared in his bed or hers, wrapped only in a sheet of raw physical satisfaction, and genuine deep rooted happiness. God, at times like that, he honestly thought nothing would tear them apart ever.

Dammit he craved those times so much. He really didn't know how much longer he could take being around Andy, without being with her. Even so he knew he would never leave her again. She had to know it too. Surely those words _"I'm not going anywhere."_ were engraved in her heart moments after he texted them to her several weeks ago.

"We used to watch _Millionaire_ together." He said, in a calm yet coarse voice, as if he was contributing to a conversation in progress.

He wanted to talk to her now. He needed to talk to her now. He wanted to confide in her, the one person he had learned to trust without reservation.

Andy listened keenly not wanting to miss a word of what he told her. After all, everything he shared, pieced together fragments of the elusive, mysterious man she loved with all her heart.

He revealed a whole lot more actually, ultimately leading her to a pivotal point in the story of his past. He paused as if he was challenging her to probe for more information.

"Was he telling the truth or were you?" She asked after a moment.

She asked genuinely and without judgement. She asked only because she wanted to know Sam inside and out. She wanted to know him in ways no one ever truly had. Not even Oliver or Jerry.

Sam took a moment before he turned to answer her. He had never told a soul what he was about to reveal to Andy. He had spoken the truth when he had told his old man that he had never felt guilty for a second.

And, while he realized that his original lie really didn't matter, not to him anyway, he didn't know how it would play out to Andy. Could Andy, so virtuous to her core, ever really accept the decision he made as a child?

"He was," he said locking eyes with her.

Andy had never heard his voice so soft, unsure and wavering. She saw a fleeting look of worry and vulnerability in his eyes, before he turned away from her gaze.

"Hmm," she mumbled almost under her breath.

Again he waited before he spoke, picking his words a little more carefully than usual.

"More than you wanted to hear?" He asked with a hollow croak in his voice.

He was nervous, yet he was also filled with a new wave of reassuring calm. Everything wise, reasonable and fair within him had cried out to tell her. She, more than anyone, deserved to know this. Even more surprising was that he had actually wanted to share it with her.

She had said she wanted to know him. She had implored him to share those ugliest, darkest and harshest parts of his past with her. She had even met the man whom had inflicted such fear, sadness and disillusion into his childhood.

But, perhaps he had bombarded her with too much after all. Maybe this latest twist in the road was too much for her. Maybe she was too good and too kind for someone as tarnished as him.

"No," she said softly breaking into his thoughts. Through the corner of his eye, he could see her fingers, slowly brushing across the empty cup from her soft drink earlier today. If she moved them over just a few inches more, they would touch his knee.

He turned quickly to look into her alluring light brown eyes. He looked back to the road, but a magnetic shield in her face willed his eyes back to hers.

"You are nothing like that man, and if you ever doubt it you just need to turn around and ask me." She announced. Everything about her, from the blaze in her eyes to the tilt of her chin, all of it seemed so feisty, firm and unwavering.

He felt relief. He felt validated. He felt free. And, he felt something else. It was lightness, love and anticipation. Heck she was like the brightest light in his heart. Today she had collided with the darkest depths on his past and somehow blotted it out.

Tears began to crowd in his eyes.

"Oh yeah. Are you going to be there?" He spoke cautiously, turning to her briefly. He wondered if she could see his misty eyes.

Naturally Sam knew her answer before she spoke. Yet, he really wanted to hear her say it. He wanted to know that _she _wasn't going anywhere.

"Just try and get rid of me." There was that familiar lilting smile in her voice.

"Okay that sounded a bit stalkery. You do have some say." She continued to speak. There she was getting flustered and tangled up again. Man, how he loved this woman.

He spun his head to look at her then.

"I love you McNally." He said it effortlessly, yet full of certainty and vigour. It really was easy to say it this time. It was nothing like that first time when it took every ounce of strength he had to admit this level of emotion to Andy.

As she heard his words a smile sprang to her lips, transforming her whole face into a beacon of beautiful light.

"I love you Sam Swarek." She said. It spilled off her tongue as though it was obvious and evident the whole time. And she used his last name. Something she rarely did. Could she be reminding him again that she couldn't care less whom he shared it with?

He smiled at her and the road. It didn't matter how many times she said it. It always felt incredible hearing those words from her.

"So where to next?" His voice cracked a little as spoke. As an adult he had rarely been so close to tears before. He wasn't like Andy, whose tears of happiness, sadness and compassion always spilled freely.

She was silent for a moment, giving him a mischievous teasing look as she raised her eyebrows. That was really all the answer he needed.


	2. Chapter 2

Five minutes later Sam was pulling into the 15 parking lot.

"I'll meet you back at your truck in half an hour," she smiled, as she clambered out.

She was extremely motivated. The sooner she got out of her uniform and clocked out, the sooner… well the sooner, they could get out of here tonight.

She had even acquiesced; just this once, that he use his influence over Oliver so she could complete the pesky reports tomorrow. This was one of those times when it certainly worked that Sam and Shaw were best buddies.

Sam could have filled the time writing his own reports and doing actual police work. Yet, he was restless and anxious to have Andy all to himself again. Christ, he hadn't dreamed the past hour had he?

He kept his conversation with Oliver concise and to the point, avoiding his suggestive looks and pointed remarks. He wasn't up for that right now.

He wondered aimlessly to his locker, then decided to take a quick shower and don a fresh shirt, just like he used to when he was a uniformed beat cop. Heck he knew she was doing the same in the women's locker room, and that got his mind racing!

Half and hour later he was waiting for her in the lot. It was freezing out, but he chose to wait leaning against his truck, eager to get a glimpse of her the minute she stepped out. She didn't keep him waiting long. And when she arrived she looked ravishing.

Some clouds had gathered and it had started to snow. As she slowly walked towards him he watched the light flakes drift across her loosened hair. Her hands were firmly planted into the pockets of her slim cut jacket and he knew instinctively she was curling and uncurling them in wild anticipation.

He saw a base hunger and desire flowing from her, and knew she saw the same things bristling from him. But, there was something else there too. There was another rich layer of emotion. He swallowed hard on the realization that it was love in her eyes.

She got really close to him and he took in her captivating smile. She was twitching with a vital, flirtatious energy. She caught several fresh whiffs of that sports soap he used. So he had snuck in a quick shower too! God he looked amazing!

"Want to get something to eat?" He asked her casually. For all he knew she was starving. They hadn't eaten properly since lunch really, unless you counted half of a _Tim Hortons_ bagel and a few _Timbits_ as a meal. He certainly was hungry. But, he could wait!

"Nope." She replied rolling her eyes. Her voice was teasing, yet impatient.

"Okay," he smiled looking away and then quickly back at her.

"Do you want to drive?" He asked, calmly holding his keys out towards her. The snowflakes shimmered in the dark strands of his hair. There was a sparkling glint in his eyes. His dimples cut appealingly in his cheeks.

Naturally he was offering her control. He was giving her the option to take the driver's seat literally and figuratively. Heavens above, it just made him climb like a thousand points higher on the hotness scale!

"No," she murmured in response, her eyes never leaving his. The truth was the control thing didn't seem so relevant right now. She didn't care who led, just so long as they were going in the same direction together.

He nodded and opened the passenger door for her. Seconds later he turned on the ignition and pulled out of the driveway. It was only a ten minute ride to his place, in light late night traffic. Thank God.

Andy was quiet, but he knew that wouldn't last. She really was allergic to silence.

"So the Northern Lights!" She snipped playfully, a few moments later, confirming his theory.

She couldn't resist the urge to touch him any longer, so reached her hand out to stroke his jaw and cheek. Good grief she had always thought his face was like chiselled marble. It was that flawless!

Her caress was feathery, warm and enticing! Heck maybe he was crazy thinking the ride home would be short.

And, while it was only her finger touching him, he couldn't help feeling as though she was catching him in a soft, yet strong embrace. Andy McNally was his soft place to land.

He had always been pretty cynical about the existence of such all-consuming love. He was weary to the point of mocking the notion. He had actually refuted the idea that it was possible to want to give every part of oneself to someone.

Yet, here was proof positive. God, how he hoped she knew that, this time, she could really trust him. He was her soft place to land. If she didn't believe anything else, he implored the heavens that she believe that at least.

Andy's hand lingered a moment longer. It felt magical. God, the intensity of the heat between them was hitting him full throttle.

"You said you wanted to go up north to see the Northern Lights," she reminded him, as her hand trickled away.

Sam probed the inside of his mouth with his tongue as he recalled their whimsical conversation from yesterday. Distracted by her touch and the way she looked, he struggled to focus on the road ahead.

"Why there?" She asked, leaning forward to turn the music on. She kept it deliberately low. Rides with Sam were typically punctuated with music.

"Why not," he chuckled, looking back into her eyes. All the strain and load from the previous hour had disappeared. All she saw now was that irresistible boyish sparkle and the secretive tease in his smouldering brown eyes.

"I don't know it's something I've wanted to see ever since I was a kid. I still think it would be a great place to escape to." His voice was gruff and deep, simply because he needed her so much.

"With me?" she whispered looking at him with a smile.

"Definitely with _you _McNally!" He quipped, turning to meet her eyes. "Who else?"

She smiled sweetly as if to reward him.

"I mean the peace and quiet there would be too overwhelming. You're the only one I know who could find a way to keep that kind of silence at bay," he chuckled.

She giggled and reached out to playfully tap his knee. It was crazy, but Sam always made her laugh at herself in a good way.

"So Sam Swarek is intrigued by the Aurora Borealis." Andy sighed softly as she called the lights by their legendary name. She let out an introspective sigh and leaned her head back against the head rest as if she was looking up to the heavens to see those lights.

He smiled momentarily moving his eyes from the road to look at her profile. She was so completely distracting dammit.

"That isn't all that intrigues me," he whispered coarsely. His hand drifted to touch her this time. He found a lose strand of her hair, and ever so gently curled it behind her ear. His fingertips felt fiery and demanding.

He gently dropped his hand to her knee. Her body pulsed in excitement. Heavens she had missed this lightning bolt voltage that pulsated between them. She realized again that she loved this man with every fiber of her being.

Physically it always felt so right between them. And, after the many bridges they had crossed; and the thousands of miles they had travelled today, maybe just maybe, they were in sync emotionally now too.

"I've read that some believe those lights are actually the spirits of great ancient hunters," he said slowly the timber of his voice dropping several decibels. His fingers trickled slightly to her thigh.

God! Hunters! Just drive Sam. Just get us home, she thought frantically.

"No wonder they speak to you," she mused softly, managing to keep her voice on an even keel. She looked straight to the bright moonlit road ahead. They had faced no red lights or road blocks.

"Huh?" He asked her. She noticed that his hand, was clinging a little more tightly to her thigh, and her skin was burning in unfathomable anticipation.

"You are a hunter Sam. You hunt for justice. You hunt for righteousness. You live to provide protection to others. It's what makes you who you are."

Sam pulled up before his town house and turned off the engine. He looked at her intently. What she said was so introspective and revealing. She had sought to describe an element of his character, much as he had done for her a little while back.

He realized again how much he had missed Andy and that she, like him, had gone through a certain transition too.

"I realized it the first day I worked with you. I saw the way you helped and protected Emily. You really hunted for justice for her. You were so motivated to make her life better."

Sam sighed and nodded as he recalled the sad and troubled life of Emily. The last he heard she was well on the way to creating her own happy ending. He honestly hoped that was still the case.

"That is one of the reasons I love you Sam," Andy whispered boldly.

"Andy," Sam croaked steamily. He instinctively raised his hand from her thigh and stroked her face.

She giggled nervously, as if she knew something bigger than she even imagined possible was about to happen.

"Can we go inside now?" She asked playfully, yet demurely licking her lips.

"Oh. I think we should," Sam teased, removing the keys from the ignition.

The last sound he heard was her vivacious giggle as she dashed out the truck practically slamming the door. He chased her up the stairs since she was sprinting ahead of him.


	3. Chapter 3

As he unlocked the door he could feel her warm breath on his neck. She leaned into him, pressing against his back, her arms curled possessively on his shoulders. God this woman!

As they almost tumbled in together, she reluctantly released him, so he could shrug his boots and jacket off. She quickly did the same.

"Here," she said, handing him her jacket impatiently. He smiled furtively at her, as it instantly brought to mind their first time together in that undercover loft.

He knew she was thinking of that too. He could see that glimmer in her eyes. She had had that same willful look of desire about her that night too.

He could read all the same signs of impatience, eagerness, and excitement in her tonight.

God knew he was beyond starved for Andy himself, but he was determined not to rush anything. He was also pretty confident she would thank him for it later.

"Nothing has changed here," she remarked almost questioningly as he turned on the lights. It was clean, but not fastidiously neat. It had a hint of mystery about it, just like Sam himself.

"A few things are different. Change can be good McNally." He winked at her as he tossed his keys on a table.

"Do you want something to drink? I have your favourite wines," he whispered.

"Not right now," she murmured, stepping impossibly close to him. When he didn't move to touch her, she twisted her arms around his neck, bringing his face to hers. She wanted him to see all the yearning and love within her eyes. She could read it in his, and it made her body twitch and sparkle even more.

"Sam I don't want to waste anymore time," she declared softly. He tweaked his eyebrows. Andy was standing before him, repeating the very same words he had said to her at the hospital after he was shot.

"Really?" He replied, lifting one of his hands to cup her silky cheek. Then, what seemed like an eternity later, he lowered his lips and kissed her with a bewitching softness. Her body responded instantly, and she felt herself blending into him like soft clay.

"So you don't want anything to eat or drink?" He mocked her softly, after he tore his lips from hers. As he spoke he wrapped his arms around her, pressing more intimately against her.

"No," she concurred, parting her lips in expectation.

"Not even ice cream," Sam interjected with a chuckle, before he deftly kissed her lips. He didn't give her a chance to respond to the kiss, since he trailed his lips to that intriguing spot between her neck and shoulder. It was one of her soft spots and he had always enjoyed dwelling on it. Yet, while her satiny skin felt invitingly familiar, there was also a delicious freshness to every part of her. He so longed to explore and learn her whole body over and over again.

He continued to nibble teasingly on her skin, feeling her take a deep breath in wild anticipation. Her hands sifted into his hair, as she sought to draw him closer still.

"Not even… ice cream," she replied, her mind ignited with exhilarating thoughts of what she wanted to do with him.

He seemed to have read her mind.

"Come with me," he demanded boldly. But, he didn't give her a chance to move or follow him. Instead he lifted her whole off her feet, cradling her in his arms as he made his way quickly up the stairs.

She wanted to ask him if he was sufficiently healed for such a strenuous move. But, she was too distracted by the feel of his nose, chin and cheek buried in her neck and hair, as he took the few steps up to the main bedroom.

"You feel, look and smell so good," he groaned allowing her to slide down, so her toes teetered on his feet.

She giggled, as her hands slipped around his waist. She looked unabatedly happy! God _he _was making her happy.

"How was that for three truths?" He teased nuzzling her neck.

"Good. Very good," she replied slowly, her voice filled with lazy distraction. She tilted so he could sink his teeth and nose deeper into her neck. Her skin tingled then tickled as he exhaled and let out a chuckle.

He moved to look at her with a new challenge in his bold, demanding eyes.

"Since we're here now, how about _you_ tell me two truths and a lie," he challenged her suddenly, his tongue cheekily probing his cheek.

As he spoke he also slowly began walking backwards.

"What seriously_ now_?" She laughed, while clinging tightly to his muscular body.

"Yes," he emitted hoarsely.

"Hmm. Let's see. Your hands are warm, thank God," she smiled as he continued to watch her. He rewarded her with a winning smile of his own.

"Your heart is warm." He looked at her, his eyes glowering, his hands burning through the thin cotton of her shirt.

"You are _standing_ on my feet!" Andy concluded with a wicked snicker.

"Lucky for you-" he grinned, tipping his head down to get his proof. "You are standing on _my_ feet."

"You are not supposed to say everything in the order of the title you know," he playfully scolded her, tilting his chin upwards.

"Well look who is talking?" She retorted accusingly.

"What do you mean?" Sam teased, his warm hands brushing over the front of her shirt, before coming to rest on the lower button. He undid it ever so slowly.

"Your turn," she whispered, a little breathlessly.

He smirked at her. "Seriously?"

Andy nodded, pulling his hands gently away from her shirt as she did so.

"Okay," he answered, refusing to let her go for a moment. Then he suddenly gently pushed her backwards and away from him. She fell to the softness of his bed.

Andy looked into Sam's expressive, dark eyes as she waited for him to rise to the challenge she set. When he spoke, he also calmly continued to unbutton her shirt. She could just feel his fingers grazing against her exposed skin. Christ his touch felt better than she had even remembered.

There was such an intoxicating softness in everything he did.

Intrinsically she knew this newly-discovered destination was the softest place in the world for her to land, because Sam was there.


End file.
